1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for restraining, restricting, or arresting movement of temporary piping such as high pressure pipeline or flow lines during a catastrophic failure. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for restraining high pressure pipe and fittings wherein a series of endless loop slings are joined end to end with hitch type connections (such as a cow hitch, sling hitch, lanyard hitch or other like knot) and wherein each of first and second lengths of assembled slings are connected end to end with disconnectable connections (e.g., shackles) that enable service or maintenance of a selected section of the high pressure piping system without disassembly of all of the endless loop slings, and wherein the assembly of slings and connectors is knotted to the pipeline (e.g., with half hitch knots) at selected intervals.
2. General Background of the Invention
In the offshore oil and gas industry, temporary high pressure pipelines are often employed at or near a drilling platform or drilling rig or upon a deck of a drilling platform or drilling rig. These high pressure pipelines are assembled using couplings which are also high pressure rated. If one of these sections of pipe or coupling that make up the high pressure flow line fail or leak, the pipe can violently move, potentially causing injury or death to personnel and/or damage to equipment. For example, pipe sections can come completely apart when a failure occurs.
Patents have issued for restraint systems designed to restrain a flow line or parts thereof. The following are examples of such patents:
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,746,773; 5,689,862; 6,481,457 (wherein each of these patents is hereby incorporated herein by reference).
The '457 patent is directed to a “Safety Restraint Assembly for High Pressure Flow Line”. The patent is owned by S.P.M. Flow Controls, Inc. of Fort Worth, Tex. (hereinafter “S.P.M.”).
A Society of Petroleum Engineers publication which is identified by the numeral SPE 24619 and entitled “Restraining System to Help Contain Well Flow Lines and Equipment During Rupture for Increased Safety” was said to have been prepared for presentation at the 87th Annual Technical Conferences and Exhibition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers held in Washington, D.C., 4-7 Oct. 1992.